scholarly journals Roost selection by male northern long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis) in a managed fire-adapted forest

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse M. Alston ◽  
Ian M. Abernethy ◽  
Douglas A. Keinath ◽  
Jacob R. Goheen
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Large Diameter ◽  
Conservation Of Resources ◽  
Theoretic Approach ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Myotis Septentrionalis ◽  
Roost Selection ◽  
Critical Resources

AbstractWildlife conservation in multi-use landscapes requires identifying and conserving critical resources that may otherwise be destroyed or degraded by human activity. Summer day-roost sites are critical resources for bats, so conserving roost sites is thus a focus of many bat conservation plans. Studies quantifying day-roost characteristics typically focus on female bats due to their relative importance for reproduction, but large areas of species’ ranges can be occupied predominantly by male bats due to sexual segregation. We used VHF telemetry to identify and characterize summer day-roost selection by male northern long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis) in a ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest in South Dakota, USA. We tracked 18 bats to 43 tree roosts and used an information theoretic approach to determine the relative importance of tree- and plot-level characteristics on roost site selection. Bats selected roost trees that were larger in diameter, more decayed, and under denser canopy than other trees available on the landscape. Much like studies of female northern long-eared bats have shown, protecting large-diameter snags within intact forest is important for the conservation of male northern longeared bats. Unlike female-specific studies, however, many roosts in our study (39.5%) were located in short (≤ 3 m) snags. Protecting short snags may be a low-risk, high-reward strategy for conservation of resources important to male northern long-eared bats. Other tree-roosting bat species in fire-prone forests are likely to benefit from forest management practices that promote these tree characteristics, particularly in high-elevation areas where populations largely consist of males.

Reproductive output of ponderosa pine in response to thinning and prescribed burning in western Montana

2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 844-850 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory Peters ◽  
Anna Sala
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Reproductive Output ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Seed Mass ◽  
Reproductive Traits ◽  
Western Montana ◽  
Cone Production

Thinning and thinning followed by prescribed fire are common management practices intended to restore historic conditions in low-elevation ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. & C. Laws.) forests of the northern Rocky Mountains. While these treatments generally ameliorate the physiology and growth of residual trees, treatment-specific effects on reproductive output are not known. We examined reproductive output of second-growth ponderosa pine in western Montana 9 years after the application of four treatments: thinning, thinning followed by spring prescribed fire, thinning followed by fall prescribed fire, and unthinned control stands. Field and greenhouse observations indicated that reproductive traits vary depending on the specific management treatment. Cone production was significantly higher in trees from all actively managed stands relative to control trees. Trees subjected to prescribed fire produced cones with higher numbers of filled seeds than trees in unburned treatments. Seed mass, percentage germination, and seedling biomass were significantly lower for seeds from trees in spring burn treatments relative to all others and were generally higher in trees from fall burn treatments. We show for the first time that thinning and prescribed-burning treatments can influence reproductive output in ponderosa pine.

scholarly journals Trends in Snag Populations in Drought-Stressed Mixed-Conifer and Ponderosa Pine Forests (1997–2007)

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph L. Ganey ◽  
Scott C. Vojta
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Pine Forests ◽  
Conifer Forest ◽  
Mixed Conifer ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Ponderosa Pine Forests ◽  
Class Composition

Snags provide important biological legacies, resources for numerous species of native wildlife, and contribute to decay dynamics and ecological processes in forested ecosystems. We monitored trends in snag populations from 1997 to 2007 in drought-stressed mixed-conifer and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosaDougl.exLaws) forests, northern Arizona. Median snag density increased by 75 and 90% in mixed-conifer and ponderosa pine forests, respectively, over this time period. Increased snag density was driven primarily by a large pulse in drought-mediated tree mortality from 2002 to 2007, following a smaller pulse from 1997 to 2002. Decay-class composition and size-class composition of snag populations changed in both forest types, and species composition changed in mixed-conifer forest. Increases in snag abundance may benefit some species of native wildlife in the short-term by providing increased foraging and nesting resources, but these increases may be unsustainable in the long term. Observed changes in snag recruitment and fall rates during the study illustrate the difficulty involved in modeling dynamics of those populations in an era of climate change and changing land management practices.

scholarly journals Microsites and structures used by fishers (Pekania pennanti) in the southern Sierra Nevada: A comparison of forest elements used for daily resting relative to reproduction

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
RE Green ◽  
KL Purcell ◽  
CM Thompson ◽  
DA Kelt ◽  
Heiko Wittmer
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Thermal Protection ◽  
Large Diameter ◽  
Fine Scale ◽  
Pekania Pennanti ◽  
White Fir ◽  
Large Trees ◽  
Black Oak

© 2019 Many wildlife species rely on unique features of trees during daily activities and fundamental parts of their life cycle. The fisher (Pekania pennanti) is a forest-dwelling carnivore of conservation concern in western North America that uses unique habitat elements as refuges during resting bouts and for reproduction. Prior to this study, little was known about the fine-scale habitat used during reproduction at the southernmost extent of the fisher's range. Between 2007 and 2015, we attached radio-collars to 55 male and 72 female fishers in the southern Sierra Nevada and documented resting locations of males on 216 occasions (196 structures) and females on 824 occasions (737 structures). Beginning in 2008, we also monitored females over 8 reproductive seasons, confirming 45 females at dens and documenting 95 natal dens (83 structures) and 206 maternal dens (192 structures). We established 3 comparisons to guide our assessment of fine-scale habitat: resting males versus resting females, natal dens versus maternal dens, and resting fishers (both sexes) versus denning fishers (all dens). We expected the need for physical security and thermal protection in combination with morphology, predation risk, and aspects of reproductive ecology would influence patterns of use. Both sexes used a variety of microsites for resting, but females selected tree cavities most frequently (47%) while males used branch platforms most often (39%). For resting structures, live conifers were used most often by both sexes (males 44%, females 34%), but live hardwoods (males 16%, females 28%) and conifer snags (males 16%, females 22%) were also important. Comparing natal and maternal dens, we found that cavity microsites used early in the den season tended to be higher than those used later, and large live hardwoods comprised roughly half of all natal (46%) and maternal (51%) den structures. For resting versus denning, we found that large diameter hardwoods were an important source of cavities for both activities, live conifers used for denning were larger than those used for resting, and den structures tended to be on steeper slopes than rest structures. White fir (Abies concolor), California black oak (Quercus kelloggii), and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) were selected most often by both sexes for resting. In contrast, denning females relied on California black oak (55%), but also used white fir (24%) and incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens; 12%). As noted in studies further north, our findings highlight the value of large trees with decay to support fisher reproduction and daily refugia.

scholarly journals Microsites and structures used by fishers (Pekania pennanti) in the southern Sierra Nevada: A comparison of forest elements used for daily resting relative to reproduction

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
RE Green ◽  
KL Purcell ◽  
CM Thompson ◽  
DA Kelt ◽  
Heiko Wittmer
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Thermal Protection ◽  
Large Diameter ◽  
Fine Scale ◽  
Pekania Pennanti ◽  
White Fir ◽  
Large Trees ◽  
Black Oak

© 2019 Many wildlife species rely on unique features of trees during daily activities and fundamental parts of their life cycle. The fisher (Pekania pennanti) is a forest-dwelling carnivore of conservation concern in western North America that uses unique habitat elements as refuges during resting bouts and for reproduction. Prior to this study, little was known about the fine-scale habitat used during reproduction at the southernmost extent of the fisher's range. Between 2007 and 2015, we attached radio-collars to 55 male and 72 female fishers in the southern Sierra Nevada and documented resting locations of males on 216 occasions (196 structures) and females on 824 occasions (737 structures). Beginning in 2008, we also monitored females over 8 reproductive seasons, confirming 45 females at dens and documenting 95 natal dens (83 structures) and 206 maternal dens (192 structures). We established 3 comparisons to guide our assessment of fine-scale habitat: resting males versus resting females, natal dens versus maternal dens, and resting fishers (both sexes) versus denning fishers (all dens). We expected the need for physical security and thermal protection in combination with morphology, predation risk, and aspects of reproductive ecology would influence patterns of use. Both sexes used a variety of microsites for resting, but females selected tree cavities most frequently (47%) while males used branch platforms most often (39%). For resting structures, live conifers were used most often by both sexes (males 44%, females 34%), but live hardwoods (males 16%, females 28%) and conifer snags (males 16%, females 22%) were also important. Comparing natal and maternal dens, we found that cavity microsites used early in the den season tended to be higher than those used later, and large live hardwoods comprised roughly half of all natal (46%) and maternal (51%) den structures. For resting versus denning, we found that large diameter hardwoods were an important source of cavities for both activities, live conifers used for denning were larger than those used for resting, and den structures tended to be on steeper slopes than rest structures. White fir (Abies concolor), California black oak (Quercus kelloggii), and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) were selected most often by both sexes for resting. In contrast, denning females relied on California black oak (55%), but also used white fir (24%) and incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens; 12%). As noted in studies further north, our findings highlight the value of large trees with decay to support fisher reproduction and daily refugia.

Carbon pools of managed and unmanaged stands of ponderosa and lodgepole pine forests in Wyoming

2009 ◽  
Vol 39 (10) ◽  
pp. 1893-1900 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Chatterjee ◽  
G. F. Vance ◽  
D. B. Tinker
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Pinus Contorta ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
Timber Harvesting ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Soil C ◽  
C Pools

Forest management practices can have a significant effect on above- and below-ground carbon (C) pools. To better understand the distribution of forest C pools, we evaluated representative forest stands within two dominant Wyoming forest types to assess differences resulting from management practices that have occurred over several decades. Study sites included four ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex Lawson & C.Lawson) treatments (100-year-old unmanaged, 46-year-old even-aged, 110-year-old uneven-aged, and 90-year-old intensively harvested) and two lodgepole pine ( Pinus contorta Engelm. var. latifolia (Engelm. ex Wats.) Critchfield) treatments (145-year-old unmanaged and 45-year-old even-aged). Comparisons of aboveground C pools revealed that distributions of live and dead biomass C pools were different between unmanaged and managed stands; however, belowground soil C pools were similar among stands within the two forest types. Overall, unmanaged stands of both forest types had higher total ecosystem C pools (249 and 247 Mg C·ha–1 for ponderosa and lodgepole pine, respectively) compared with managed stands (ponderosa pine: even-aged, 164 Mg C·ha–1; uneven-aged, 170 Mg C·ha–1; intensively harvested, 200 Mg C·ha–1; and lodgepole pine even-aged, 117 Mg C·ha–1). Our results indicate timber harvesting has a major influence on total ecosystem C pools by reducing live tree biomass.

Management of grazing systems

1989 ◽  
pp. 117-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Hodgson
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Management Control ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Pastoral Systems ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Alternative Means ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Stocking Rates

Recent assessments of the relative importance of stocking rate. stocking policy and grazing management on the output from pastoral systems are used as a starting point to argue the need for objective pasture assessments to aid control of livestock enterprises to meet production targets. Variations in stocking rates, stocking policy and other management practices all provide alternative means of control of pasture conditions which are the major determinants of pasture and animal performance. Understanding of the influence of pasture conditions on systems performance should provide a better basis for management control and for Communication between farmers, extension officers and researchers. Keywords: Stocking rate, pasture condition, pasture cover

scholarly journals Evaluation of Physical Barriers to Protect Ponderosa Pine Seedlings from Pocket Gophers

1999 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 164-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Pipas ◽  
Gary W. Witmer
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Seedling Mortality ◽  
Pocket Gophers ◽  
Thomomys Talpoides ◽  
Pine Seedlings ◽  
Physical Barriers ◽  
Growth Of Seedlings ◽  
Medium Weight ◽  
Better Than

Abstract A 2 yr study on the Rogue River and Mt. Hood National Forests in Oregon evaluated physical barriers for protection of Pinus ponderosa seedlings against damage by Thomomys talpoides. Seedlings protected with one of three weights of: (1) plastic mesh tubing (Vexar®) or (2) sandpapertubing (Durite®) were evaluated against control seedlings. On the Rogue River sites, Vexar® seedlings had the highest survival (62.6%), followed by the controls (59.1%), then Durite® seedlings (17.9%). Gophers were the primary cause of death for the Vexar® seedlings, versus desiccation for the Durite® seedlings. On the Mt. Hood sites, heavyweight Vexar® seedlings had the highest survival (35.4%), medium-weight Durite® seedlings the lowest (2.7%). Seedling mortality caused by gophers was highest for controls (70.2%), followed by light-weight (62.2%) and heavy-weight (53.9%) Vexar® treatments. Overall survival was low (Rogue River = 42%, Mt. Hood = 19.8%). Growth was greatest for the control seedlings but only significantly greater than growth of Durite® seedlings on the Rogue River sites. Growth of seedlings was not compromised by the Vexar® tubing. Although neither type of tubing was highly protective, Vexar® tubes performed better than Durite® tubes. West. J. Appl. For. 14(3):164-168.

scholarly journals Germination, Establishment, and Mortality of Naturally Seeded Southwestern Ponderosa Pine

2003 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven J. Stein ◽  
Diana N. Kimberling
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
Mortality Factors ◽  
Seedling Mortality ◽  
Prescribed Burns ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Northern Arizona ◽  
Lepidopteran Larvae

Abstract Information on the mortality factors affecting naturally seeded conifer seedlings is becoming increasingly important to forest managers for both economic and ecological reasons. Mortality factors affecting ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) seedlings immediately following natural germination and through the following year were monitored in Northern Arizona. The four major mortality factors in temporal order included the failure of roots to establish in the soil (27%), herbivory by lepidopteran larvae (28%), desiccation (30%), and winterkill (10%). These mortality factors were compared among seedlings germinating in three different overstory densities and an experimental water treatment. Seedlings that were experimentally watered experienced greater mortality than natural seedlings due to herbivory (40%), nearly as much mortality due to the failure of roots to establish in the soil (20%), less mortality due to winterkill (5%), and no mortality due to desiccation. The seedling mortality data through time were summarized using survivorship curves and life tables. Our results suggest that managers should consider using prescribed burns to decrease the percentage of seedlings that die from failure of their roots to reach mineral soil and from attack by lepidopteran larvae. West. J. Appl. For. 18(2):109–114.

Vascular cambium necrosis in forest fires: using hyperbolic temperature regimes to estimate parameters of a tissue-response model

2004 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 757 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. B. Dickinson ◽  
J. Jolliff ◽  
A. S. Bova
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Acer Rubrum ◽  
Tissue Response ◽  
Vascular Cambium ◽  
Red Maple ◽  
Fixed Temperature ◽  
Temperature Regimes

Hyperbolic temperature exposures (in which the rate of temperature rise increases with time) and an analytical solution to a rate-process model were used to characterise the impairment of respiration in samples containing both phloem (live bark) and vascular-cambium tissue during exposures to temperatures such as those experienced by the vascular cambium in tree stems heated by forest fires. Tissue impairment was characterised for red maple (Acer rubrum), chestnut oak (Quercus prinus), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) samples. The estimated temperature dependence of the model’s rate parameter (described by the Arrhenius equation) was a function of the temperature regime to which tissues were exposed. Temperatures rising hyperbolically from near ambient (30°C) to 65°C produced rate parameters for the deciduous species that were similar at 60°C to those from the literature, estimated by using fixed temperature exposures. In contrast, samples from all species showed low rates of impairment, conifer samples more so than deciduous, after exposure to regimes in which temperatures rose hyperbolically between 50 and 60°C. A hypersensitive response could explain an early lag in tissue-impairment rates that apparently caused the differences among heating regimes. A simulation based on stem vascular-cambium temperature regimes measured during fires shows how temperature-dependent impairment rates can be used to predict tissue necrosis in fires. To our knowledge, hyperbolic temperature exposures have not been used to characterise plant tissue thermal tolerance and, given certain caveats, could provide more realistic data more efficiently than fixed-temperature exposures.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document